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This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.

My dear friend Jane Anderson wrote a Thanksgiving reflection this year that made me think. Among other observations, she talked about a year when her family decided “to try eating out for Thanksgiving instead of laboring hours in the kitchen for 15 minutes of consuming the results.”

My sister-in-law’s lovely table.

Taking steps to ensure a child in your life has the security of Prepaid College Tuition is sort of the opposite concept: spending 15 minutes (often less) now to guarantee years of educational benefits and assurance.

There are several 15-minute investments you can make now that can make a difference in your child’s educational future and make their future more secure.

Explore Choices

In 15 minutes, you can scan the Florida Prepaid options and start to narrow down which one may be best for you. There are five choices:

Wayne and I are not new to the parenting rodeo, and I’m going to guess that many of you may be in a similar position to us — you have children who are rapidly hurtling toward college. You may not find yourself *quite* as prepared as you’d like to be for their educational needs once they graduate from high school.

The 1-Year Florida University Plan is one I would particularly take the time to note. Designed to provide an extremely affordable prepaid option, it allows purchasers to buy one year of State University credit hours at a time according to their budget and timeline, without feeling the pressure of having to buy all four years at once.

The 1-Year plan, which starts at less than $50 a month, also allows multiple purchasers to buy a plan for the same child.Each purchaser can have their own separate account and a child can have up to four 1-Year Florida University Plans.

Encourage Your Child’s Aspirations

My conversations with my own children, as well as nieces and nephews, at this year’s Thanksgiving gathering were different from previous years. Everyone has grown up. Some childhood dreams have faded while new ones have taken their place.

But no matter the dreams, the pleasure has been hearing their progression over the years.

“My world was very small. People didn’t think about leaving Long Island, let alone going to space.” When Massimino visited Columbia University as a high school senior for an admissions interview, he wrote, “…the minute I arrived, I felt like I understood what college was.” He goes on to say, “I had a revelation: This is where people learn. This is where you become someone. I’d never had that feeling before.”

Fifteen minutes go by quickly, but they’re enough to remind a child in your life that they can indeed be someone, and that higher education is within their reach.

Talk With Family Members About Pitching In

One practical and positive feature of Florida Prepaid Plans is that family members can help. If a relative asks what they can do for a holiday gift, consider talking with them about Prepaid.

I know I would love to give the children in my life the gift of security at a time when so many aspects of our world seem uncertain; this is a gift that promises to be more enduring than a toy or sweater.

As I mentioned above, with 1-Year University plans, four separate people could conceivably each purchase a year contract. There are various configurations and options.

In addition, anyone can make payments or contributions towards a prepaid account.

Enroll in Florida Prepaid

The enrollment process can easily be completed in 15 minutes or less.

Enrollment ends February 28, 2018, but there’s a special incentive for people who enroll by November 30. They will be entered to have their entire contract paid off!

You can also save 50% off your $50 enrollment fee by using the code GREEN1718.

Visit Florida Prepaid on the web or call 1.800.552.GRAD (4723) for more information.

I’d say 15 minutes is a small investment to make to help a child experience the opportunity to “become someone.”

Two (count ’em) TWO students in college. That’s what I am going to have starting August 2017. Although arguably my son’s idea of equipping his abode for college is different (and *maybe* less detailed) than my daughter’s, still — college kids need things and Target is the ideal place.

Whether you have college kids or not, you know you need something from Target. Wouldn’t it be nice to have $200 to kickstart your shopping spree?

This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.

I was sitting on my daughter, Tenley’s, bed last night chatting, when my eyes fell on this pillow which all the grandchildren in our family had been given for Christmas many years ago.

I mentioned how sentimental the pillow made me, since we had just spent the evening at a co-ed shower for my niece, Jessica, who is getting married next month. Between Jessica’s birth in 1989 and my daughter’s birth in 1996, five girls were born to my sisters-in-law Mary and Ann, and I had Tenley. The result was years of girl togetherness, baby dolls, gymnastics meets, dance recitals, fashion discoveries, makeup sessions, sparkles, and smiles. As I stood in various clumps of people last night, each of the girls talked about her 2016 life. They are now a pharmacist, two nurses, a nursing student, and two juniors in college. Each one is remarkable.

Planning Ahead Matters

What is remarkable for my family is that my parents had the foresight to look at the facts when I was still “in the weeds” of the day-to-day costs of having an infant and to purchase a Florida Prepaid College plan for Tenley when she was a newborn (they did the same for my son, Wayne, when he was born in 1999).

Enrollment Is Open!

The Florida Prepaid College Board has launched the 2016-17 Open Enrollment period. This is important: you can only enroll between now and February 28, 2017. After that, you will have to wait until the next enrollment period.

So Many Options!

One thing I love about Florida Prepaid plans is how they are responsive to the evolving needs of today’s families. There are more affordable options now than ever before, and more plan designs that reflect the education financing needs of today’s college-bound students. Here they are:

The 1-Year Florida University Plan (the newest offering)

With this plan, you can purchase one year, or 30 credit hours, at a time according to your budget and timeline, without feeling the pressure of having to buy all four years at once.

The 1-Year Florida University Plan also allows multiple purchasers to buy a plan for the same child (hello grandparents, aunts, uncles, and caring friends!). A child can have up to four 1-Year Florida University Plans.

The 2-Year Florida College Plan

This plan is perfect to set children up with a practical, affordable path to entering their chosen career with an associate’s degree or trade certification.

Every cent of the value of this plan can be applied at any university or college nationwide and is guaranteed by the state of Florida. Purchasers cannot lose the money they put in.

The 4-Year Florida College Plan

There are 28 Florida colleges (such as the one near my home town, Florida Gateway College, which I visited numerous times in my Union County high school career when it was still Lake City Community College) They’ve expanded their capabilities far beyond two-year programs. Most now offer four-year bachelor’s degree programs in growth industries like nursing and teaching, and continue to grow their degree programs year after year.

Since the 28 Florida colleges are typically less expensive than a university education, the 4-year college plan provides a practical, affordable path to a bachelor’s degree.

Every cent of the value of this plan is guaranteed by the state of Florida (this is true for Florida Prepaid plans).

The 2+2 Florida College Plan

By starting your child off at one of Florida’s 28 colleges, you’ll save money on lower-level courses before they transfer to a state university to finish off their degree.

Students with this plan are guaranteed admission to a state university once they’re earned their associate’s degree at a Florida college.

The 4-Year Florida University Plan

The plan starts your child off at one of Florida’s 12 state universities.

If your child decides to start at a college (typically less expensive), the unused funds from this plan can be applied to a post-secondary degree or you can get the remaining money back.

Like all Florida Prepaid plans, use isn’t restricted to Florida schools; the amount covered by your Prepaid Plan can be used at schools nationwide. (Tenley is using hers at Valdosta State University in Georgia, for example.) There are dormitory plan options also.

What Is The Investment?

Here’s some incredible news. The Florida Prepaid Board has worked extremely hard to keep prices near historic lows, and they have succeeded! That’s great for Florida families.

As you can see above, there are more plans than ever, and they are structured in a way that acknowledges the budgeting challenges families face. Plans start at less than $47 a month!

For less than $47 a month, a parent or other caring adult can demonstrate their belief in the future by starting a Florida Prepaid Plan. Look at all the potential of the kids in this video, and the hope shared by the adults who want their children’s dreams to soar:

Don’t Let the Application Fee Stand in Your Way!

If you’re like me, you can see the smaller details of life as bigger stumbling blocks than they are. Yes, there is an application fee of $50. But with this code, BLOG1617, you can save 50% off of that fee!

Remember the Scholarship Contest?

You read every word I publish, right? Just in case you’re in the minority who do not (wink wink) or you are a new reader, I wrote recently about the opportunity to win one of 10 2-Year Florida College Plans through the Florida Prepaid College Foundation!

There is less than one week left to enter to win! Here are the details:

What You Can Win: In addition to registering to win one of the ten 2-year plans, when you click on the entry link, you can earn extra entries by answering questions, learning more about saving for college, and sharing on social media. There will also be chances to win a weekly prize.

Eligibility: Open to legal residents in the state of Florida with children or grandchildren between the ages of newborn through 8th grade.

About Florida Prepaid

As you think through your family’s options for Florida Prepaid, visit the Florida Prepaid College Plan by clicking here for information. If you prefer to speak with someone by phone, please call 800-552-GRAD (4723).

Little Girls Grow Up

Yes, I got lost in the “overwhelm” of the responsibilities, logistical and financial, of having a newborn (but my parents saw longer term, fortunately). As you can see below, the little girls from the picture on the pillow grew up faster than their family can comprehend. Remember how quickly the time flies, and look into Florida Prepaid as an option for your child or a child you love during this open enrollment period.

Never will another Florida State University student spend their freshman year where I did: coping with the thrills, disappointments and sheer journey into the unknown brought on by spending the year in Kellum Hall. Kellum Hall has been razed. A patch of gravel (pictured above) is all that is left on the footprint of a place where many of my friends and I experienced that critical freshman year.

The ten winners of the Florida Prepaid Scholarship Giveaway will have to start freshman year somewhere rather than Kellum, but the good news is they will start freshman year knowing they have the financial jump-start of a 2-year Florida College Plan, valued at more than $8,000, courtesy of the Florida Prepaid College Board.

I’ll share the details of how to enter (it’s simple!), but if the idea of the Florida Prepaid Program is new to you, a brief comment about why it’s so incredible.

About Saving for College and Why College Matters

According to the How America Saves for College 2016 report, only 2 out of 5 families have a plan to pay for college — even though a postsecondary degree is more necessary than ever for career success. According to state projections, 59 percent of all jobs in Florida will require postsecondary education by 2018.

If you are not as prepared to fund your child’s education as you hoped to be, this does not reflect a lack of love for your child or children. Instead, it puts you in the majority, among the 3 out of 5 families without a plan to pay for college.

To celebrate National College Savings Month, why not enter this contest for a chance to give your child a powerful head start?

It worked out well for this family, who won a scholarship from last year’s contest:

What You Can Win: In addition to registering to win one of the ten 2-year plans, when you click on the entry link, you can earn extra entries by answering questions, learning more about saving for college, and sharing on social media. There will also be chances to win a total of 50 weekly prizes.

Eligibility: Open to legal residents in the state of Florida with children or grandchildren between the ages of newborn through 8th grade.

Beyond the contest period, prepaid plans will be available for purchase throughout open enrollment, which begins October 15, 2016, and ends February 28, 2017.

This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.

I don’t remember exactly what Wayne put on his Santa list in 2005, when he was in first grade. I am sure the general theme was “transportation” as in toy trains, remote-controlled cars, and anything else that had wheels, made noise, or (ideally) moved while making noise. All items on the list were meant to be enjoyed “RIGHT NOW.”

First Graders Aren’t Worried About College

First graders aren’t worried about the distant realities of college tuition, how they will pay for their residence hall when they are 18, or the advantage of “current plan pricing.”

First graders don’t know:

Individuals with bachelor’s degrees earn an average of $23,700 a year more than those without, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

A recent Georgetown University study estimates that a student with a bachelor’s degree can earn $1.6 million more in their lifetime than a student with only a high school diploma

It’s projected by a study from Georgetown University that by 2018, 59 percent of jobs in Florida will require post-secondary education

In 2013, the unemployment rate for bachelor’s degree holders was 4 percent. For those with only a high school diploma, it was 7.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics

I don’t know Santa’s academic credentials, and good for him that he’s got his gig pretty locked down (and oh the cookie benefits!). But he’s certainly the exception to this general truth:

The Gift of a College Education

Purchasing a Florida Prepaid College Plan for your child now is a gift that will long outlast the stuff that kids beg to see from Santa. As I wrote in my last post about Florida Prepaid, my parents bought Florida Prepaid College Plans for my children with lump sum payments of around $7,000 when they were infants. That investment will result in approximately $32,000 worth of college education for each of them.

I know it’s a hectic time of year for all of us. I know that part of the fun of sharing the holidays with our children is indulging in some of their favorite “gotta have it now” treats. I’ll tell you what ….. there’s a way to secure your children’s educational future and free up some cash for a treat.

Enrollment Fee Waived!

Sign up for your Florida prepaid plan before December 31 and the $50 enrollment fee will be waived*. It’s almost like found money! (Your prepaid payments won’t begin until April 2015.)

For more information, visit the Florida Prepaid College Plan by clicking here. If you prefer to speak with someone by phone, please call 800-552-GRAD (4723).

*The Open Enrollment period closes on February 28, 2015, but the enrollment fee waiver ends December 31, 2014.

My parents bought the Florida Prepaid College Plan for Tenley with a lump sum payment of around $7,000 when she was an infant. That investment will result in approximately $32,000 worth of college education. The ultimate security.

A Grandparent’s Gift

When I asked him about his choice to purchase Florida Prepaid College Plans for my children when they were infants, my dad said, “I am not a financial genius; however, I was fortunate enough to have the money to invest in our grandchildren’s future.”

Maybe it isn’t genius level to make such a stellar and long-lasting investment, but it is certainly smart if you ask me!

More About Florida Prepaid

The Florida Prepaid College Plan kicked off Open Enrollment on October 15. The Open Enrollment period closes on February 28, 2015. There are two incredible new changes this year:

Prices are at their lowest point since 2007 (as much as 50% lower)!

There is a NEW 1-Year Florida University Plan with a monthly payment of $43.30 for newborns.

In addition, the $50 application fee for newly opened plans will be waived through December 31, 2014!

Although my parents chose the lump sum option and started when Tenley and Wayne were infants, there are a variety of payment plans for children of all ages. (And payments don’t begin until April 2015.)

For more information, visit the Florida Prepaid College Plan by clicking here. If you prefer to speak with someone by phone, please call 800-552-GRAD (4723).

I am a Blogger Believer because a Florida Prepaid College Plan has been one of the primary factors in securing my children’s future.

If you want a summer to fly by, make sure your college-bound freshman signs up for early move-in. It’s a guaranteed way to make June and July evaporate as quickly as you can say hot, hazy, and humid.

Tenley and I had several conversations over the last few weeks in which we discussed whether or not I am sad. I had so much fun in college, that I am mostly happy … for her embarking on her life as a young adult, for the memories she will build, for all of her tomorrows.

Am I sad? Yes, for the things that didn’t get done, for the things I wish in retrospect I had done differently, for times when worry, distraction, or misplaced priorities interfered with me giving my family the full attention they deserved.

Happy or sad, I know one thing. I am full of love and hope for a young woman who is deeply treasured.